Water Resource Budgeting in the Narayanpur Left Bank Canal Command Area of the Upper Krishna Project, Karnataka, India: A Natural Resource Economics Perspective

This study presents a detailed water resource budgeting analysis for the Narayanpur Left Bank Canal (NLBC) command area of the Upper Krishna Project, covering the years 2013–14 to 2023–24. Using the approach of natural resource economics, the study looks at how water, a limited and valuable resource, is supplied and used across different seasons. Water supply includes canal water and effective rainfall, after adjusting for losses like seepage and evaporation. The total available water was estimated at 31.27 Million Hectare Centimetres (MHaCm), with canal water making up 83.82 per cent and rainfall 16.18 per cent. The Kharif season received more water (60.67%) due to monsoon rains and higher canal releases, while the Rabi/Summer season depended mostly on canal water. The total yearly water demand was 36.18 MHaCm, mainly for agriculture (89.55%), followed by domestic use (8.93%) and livestock (1.52%). Paddy and sugarcane used the most water due to their high needs and large cultivated areas. The water budget showed a seasonal and overall shortage of 1.99 MHaCm in Kharif, 2.92 MHaCm in Rabi/Summer, and a yearly deficit of 4.91 MHaCm (15.70%). The analysis was based entirely on secondary data from agencies such as the Water Resources Department, CADA, Agriculture and Statistical Departments, covering canal discharge, rainfall, cropping patterns, population and livestock. Tabular analysis, along with standardized formulas for estimating Supply of Water (SOW) and Demand for Water (DFW), was employed to quantify seasonal balances and supply–demand gaps. These results highlight the importance of better water management, efficient irrigation methods and promoting less water-demanding crops. From a natural resource economics perspective, the study provides useful guidance for planning fair and sustainable water use in the NLBC region, while also offering reassurances that such approaches can strengthen irrigation effectiveness in other canal systems.